insights

Keys to Building a Successful Internet of Things (IoT) System

In my last post I outlined a simple definition for the Internet of Things (IoT):

“A system of connected Things capable of one-way or two-way interactions using a common framework, designed for systemic intelligence to achieve greater human good and / or for a broader business purpose.”

Here are some aspects of this definition to keep in mind when embarking down the IoT path.

A system of connected Things

Traditionally, the things in an IoT system are intended to represent physical objects. Given the rate of technology progression, this seems limiting when the very definition of physicality is being called into question with the emergence of virtual reality and artificial environments. I prefer to leave the definition of a Thing open and not limited to physical objects. Also, IoT also requires the things to be interconnected in a meaningful way.

Just sticking a sensor on a thing does not make for an IoT system. For instance, traditional network routers involved in sending/receiving network packets come equipped with sensors. These sensor-ed network routers standing on their own have little to no value. It is when they are connected and form part of a network that their true value is realized.

Capable of one-way or two-way interactions

Each Thing in an IoT system must be capable of being able to transmit and / or receive a payload of data. If the Thing is not capable of these actions, it is “dumb” and not a part of the IoT system.

The intelligence of an IoT system particularly comes to prominence when the network is able to communicate back and forth with the individual things in the system.

Using a common framework

All of the Things in an IoT system must be able to communicate within a common framework. There must be a very clear communication protocol in place that defines what the format of the payload looks like when Things communicate. This framework needs to be agreed upon and designed ahead of time for a successful IoT implementation.

As in the real world, where English, German, Spanish offer different modes of communicating between groups of humans, so also the language or protocol within different IoT systems may vary. This is ok. As the IoT ecosystem grows, each part of the overall ecosystem will define a specific model of system communication.

Systemic intelligence to achieve greater human good and / or for a broader business purpose

Connecting a variety of Things through a common framework is merely the first step in an IoT roadmap strategy. It is estimated that by 2025 computers will have the same computing power as the human brain. IoT systems that are designed from the ground up to take advantage of this computing power through the use of Social, Mobile, Analytics, Cloud technologies – The SMAC Stack – will operate at a superior level relative to other systems.

With strong analytic abilities and unlimited computing power, comes great responsibility. A systemically intelligent IoT system will require rules and guidelines to ensure proper operation. Security protocols/procedures and governance models need to be instituted within the IoT system to ensure correct operation.

Ultimately, the value of IoT is fully realized when the system is intelligent and able to make self-selected and independent decisions removed from humans.

In the next set of posts,I will outline IoT use cases in various industries and operational models that go into making an IoT strategy successful.

Leave a Comment

Related Blogs

James McNamee and Victor Juri from Ayantek, LLC discuss some of the similarities and differences in Interactive ads placed by the Obama and Romney camps in the week leading up to the 2012 Presidential Election. Digital technologies used and marketing strategies for reaching desired online audiences are discussed as well as how campaigns are leveraging… Read more

Happy Friday, everyone! As the world keeps turning in the world of digital strategy new insights keep getting uncovered and we are here to round them all up. This week we have received the 3 rules every digital marketing campaign needs to follow in order to be successful, an infographic about how people are engaging… Read more

This past December, our President and CEO Praveen Ramanathan spoke at Blue Wave Marketing's 'Marketing Integration Forum'. He gave an insightful presentation on how the SMAC Stack can drive efficiency and innovation within your organization. By combining social media, mobile, analytics, and cloud technologies your digital strategy will be streamlined. To help illustrate the SMAC… Read more

Medical Device firms have tremendous opportunities to harness the power of IoT especially given the typical product mix of capital equipment, consumables, software, and services. Capital equipment devices usually are installed and operated within the context of a hospital or clinical environment. Device manufacturers that mechanize and develop smart, connected device infrastructure could bring about… Read more

In the age of online shopping, marketing automation, point-of-sale computing and other instant customer feedback, Big Data has become the recent buzz word, touted as the be-all and end-all answer to the marketer’s prayers -but what is Big Data really? First let’s define Big Data. According to a Wikipedia, the term Big Data can be… Read more